happy phamily

the mama band

2012-02-01T14:28:00.000-08:00

My girls and I all agreed that creating music together needed to happen between us. And it's started. We've been gathering weekly for almost a month now and I do believe that all of us feel a little more complete because of it. Thanks, ladies.<3

in the valley with some dolls

2012-01-28T21:14:00.000-08:00

Zoe and Ezra's Great Grandma has been an avid doll collector for many, many years. Her house is borderline doll museum. Recently she registered Zoe as a Junior Doll Collector and invited her to attend her doll club's annual doll show. Today we attended, and despite Zoe's marginal interest in dolls and my distaste for gender bias, we had a really nice time. The show ended up being more historical than "girly" and I learned a little about my own stereotypes by the day's end.

happy

2012-01-14T09:16:00.000-08:00

There is a lightness lately. Perhaps it's from the several nights this week where I woke up in the middle of the night with the bright moon shining through my window onto me and my son. It might be from our warming days or the impossibly radiant sunsets. It may be from the renewal I got from the warmth of the women I was surrounded with at our full moon circle last Sunday. Or from moving my body more again. Maybe it's because my days are slower now that the holidays are over. Whatever it is I will hold this close. I burned away the worry and all the other nonsense. I'm beginning to feel more aware and present than I have in a long time and I'm not going to let that go.

one of the best

2011-11-28T09:10:00.001-08:00

Native Son by Richard Wright
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thought-provoking and utterly heart-breaking. Highly recommended. One of the best from the canon.

View all my reviews

nature boy

2011-10-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

growing up girl

2011-10-20T22:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Zoe had her first ever Girl Scout meeting. It is unbelievable to me that I now have daughter old enough to be a Brownie and I am so excited for her, remembering that some of my fondest memories happened when I was a Girl Scout. Hoping the same happiness for her. ♥

the circle

2011-10-20T22:48:00.000-07:00

In the car today, Ezra says to me matter-of-factly, "Mama, when me and Zoe get older we will die.". It is a truth for all of us and made me think of this video I saw recently that is so beautiful I almost cried.

http://vimeo.com/29987934

i would thrive here

2011-09-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

flight

2011-09-07T14:19:00.000-07:00

zoe's first day of first grade!

2011-09-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

us

2011-09-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

Just a moment ago I was holding this small sandollar that Erich brought back from Hawaii for the kids. I was marveling over how something like this could be created, formed so perfectly and delicate. And then it occurred to me how rarely we, as humans, marvel at how incredible we are. I often think about the trees, old buildings, buzzing bees, photos, electricity, how these all work. How absolutely amazing it all is. And then our own incredible bodies. It all is so perfect.

my girl

2011-07-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

Zoe turned 6 during the wee hours last Saturday morning. We held her very first slumber party in her honor. Despite having an incredibly full house, one of the highlights of the evening for me was hearing how loud and numerous the voices were singing her happy birthday and just watching Zoe glow. It was more affirmation of how loved and blessed we really are. I love you, Zo Bird. Always.

slow down

2011-07-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

A week ago we were lucky enough to join Erich for one of his trips to Tucson, Arizona. It was a week spent swimming, admiring catoonish saguaros, and simply being present with my family. There were no computers, no emails to respond to, no dishes to wash, no laundry to fold, no phone calls to make. There were no worries that week. How do I bring that home with me?

All smiles after the first swim.

Nightswimming

View of our room

Biosphere 2 (aka Giant Nursery that hasn't been updated since it was built in the 80s). The kids were such troopers. It was 110 degrees out and they had to walk miles without water. All in the name of science.

Inside the Biodome

Crazy space tunnel

Probably my favorite part of the journey (and not just because it was the end of it). This room has a rubber ceiling that ascends and descends (to the floor!) every day. When the guide opened the door he told us the ceiling would reach the floor in three minutes. He wouldn't stop talking and the ceiling kept on coming down. It was hilarious and terrifying all at once.

View from the room. Divine.

Pit stop on the way home. It was bought by Creationists a while back and was pretty entertaining reading all the lit on the wall of the gift shop.

Add caption

life changing

2011-06-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

I'm skipping Day 6 because I can't honestly write about a superhero that I like the best. I don't keep up with those flying, superpower people.

Day 7-a picture of someone or something that has had the most impact on you

There they are. Those life changing little creatures. <3

california's where i've been

2011-06-07T23:06:00.000-07:00

Day 5- a picture of somewhere you've been

We don't get outside of California that much, but darnit California, you do have a lot to offer. Here is home in just four photos.

Two trees. Or as Ez likes to call it, Crab Mountain. I kind of like to call it that now too. Erich and I were determined to fabricate this beautifully colorful legend of how the trees to got to be there. I came up with this silly Chumash love story, but I'm thinking some mythical crab being might be a better one.

This is partly why I find it difficult to leave a place I can't afford to buy a home in. Once you walk through these acres of flowering mustard, planted by monks centuries ago to find their way home, and you've seen the golden light and smelled the California glow, it becomes pretty easy to fall in love. Especially when you can see hills and the ocean at the same time.

And where the heck did the last three years go?! Zoe, slow down! xo~

worried woman

2011-06-06T22:08:00.000-07:00

Day 4- a habit that you wish you didn't have

I worry too much, and the worry keeps me from living fully sometimes. I worry mostly about if I'm parenting my children the best I can, their safety, and money. Those are the top three. They are all valid worries.

childhood photos

2011-06-05T21:27:00.000-07:00

Day 3- a photo of me as a child

There were always photos being taken around my house as a kid. I have many to choose from. Troves. Vaults. I love it. Especially the old ones.

Here is one of Dad and I in North Dakota where I was born. I am particularly fond of this photo because of Dad's happiness. And also because thirty years later the only difference I can see is the color of his hair. He looks exactly the same. The joy on his face in this photo reminds me of him so fully I will cherish this photo forever. It also makes me want to know what Mom said to get him to laugh so hard.

And here is another:

Another classic photo. The black and white helps. This is Mom, my sister, and I in Japan. I like to think of the run down house, full of massive flying cockroaches and geckos, with deadly snakes in the yard and how none of it wore on the love in that home. I think this photo is particularly telling of that. Thank you, Mom and Dad.

happy phamily

2011-06-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

Day 2- the meaning behind my blog name.

I don't know which came first, the blog or the business. Happy Phamily is a pretty obvious reference to my family unit. It is also used for my little creating business. I started sewing when Zoe was small. I started out sewing these:

and these:

and now I'm a vendor from time to time and have this little shop. And that is that.

listing

2011-06-03T20:53:00.000-07:00

So I haven't finished the other list, I will, but I like this one and am feeling it now, so I'm going with it. I stole it from a friend's blog, an old fellow teacher who I adore. His blog is here.

day 1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself

I hate the way I look in photos. I nitpick every flaw. And I am always making goofy faces. My husband and sister have even had facebook slams where they'd go back and forth posting silly pictures of me. I actually thought it was pretty funny. I don't like that I hate the photos and I know that I'm going to look back in 20 years and think I was nuts for hating the way I looked in photos. But here is a recent photo of me. It's one of the better ones.

1. I used to know most of the spaceships, droids, and aliens in Star Wars. I don't anymore.

2. I like vinyl better than CDs, casettes, or MP3s.

3. I have always liked bluegrass. Even as a teenager.

4. My first concert was New Kids on the Block. I sat in the far back of the stadium and had binoculars. Only I couldn't see my beloved Joey because every time I looked through them I would scream so hard they would shake.

5. When I was a kid my dalmatian, Chips, had 8 puppies. Four girls, four boys, and two of them had brown spots and green eyes. Someone told me their dog bit off one of her puppies' heads when they gave birth. I was very worried my own dog would do the same. She didn't. My imagination was a little overactive.

6. My son was almost named after the pianist in Phish.

7. After giving birth to Ezra the first thing I wanted was a Coke. There's even a photo of me shining with one while holding the little bean shortly after he was born.

8. Erich and I were married at a small winery near Ojai. In the back is a field where cows roam. During our reception they stampeded into view. We had a bluegrass band and really good wine. Our recessional music was friends playing djembes and a didgeridoo. We were also the last wedding that winery ever had. :(

9. I want to create community gardens in my town.

10. When I was little I thought hamburger meat came from bears. Not pigs, bears.

11. I feel most at home in the trees and in the meadows. My heart is there.

12. I never leave the house without makeup. I hate that. I don't want my kids to ever feel that way or ever think that the person they're with has to do the same.

13. My dream car is a VW bus.

14. Cooperative living is another dream of mine. Living off the land with like minded loving people. Self-reliant and raw.

15. I pierced my belly button in the summer of 1993 before it was cool. My best friend had pierced his own before the summer and I promised he could do mine when I got back from the Jersey shore. While on the boardwalk with my aunt I changed my mind and had it done there. My friend was bummed when I returned with a bejeweled belly. Now I just have a small scar to remind me of the memory and my friend.

human connection

2011-06-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

I'm back home, adjusting and remembering what it's like to be here, in this space. I have a glass of wine and am sorting through photos from my sister's wedding last fall. I am thinking of how dependent we all are on each other. How in the most difficult of times a simple touch or voice can make things a little more bearable. One of my bestest, Jaime, was telling me about this movie the other day. It is called I Am. She told me how unbelievably moving it was. So I watched the trailer and was almost moved to tears.

Before I became a mother I knew that having people in my life who cared about me and who I likewise cared about made me comfortable. Not until I began my journey as a mother, though, did I actually realize how important these connections truly would become. They were my lifeline in the beginning as they are now. I will be forever grateful for the trust and love that I share with these people in my life. And in the same token, I believe that connection extends all over this earth. Maybe even further.

Which brings me to this photo. My favorite out of every photo taken at my sister's wedding.

We are all connected.

love keeps growing

2011-05-19T21:47:00.000-07:00

When I was pregnant with my second child it was very difficult for me to see how it could be possible to love another person as much as I did my first. The moment I gave birth to Ezra it all became clear. I had that feeling again when my sister was pregnant with my niece. Now she is here and I love her more than I ever thought I would.

Sophia Lena Goldberg <3

little sister

2011-05-16T06:51:00.001-07:00

Today is the day my sister becomes a mother. Today is the day I become an aunt. Today is the day where I can truly be the older sister I've always wanted to be. Love you always, Sara

color my world

2011-05-08T21:09:00.000-07:00

There ought to be more people like this in the world.

Hippy Easter!!

2011-04-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

i'm out of the closet

2011-04-12T13:20:00.000-07:00

Not only do I watch American Idol. I love it. And this guy has grown on me. Lots. *hee*

happy

2011-03-29T20:41:00.001-07:00

Lists

2011-03-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

Lists. They have been an anchor to sanity for me throughout my adult years. When my mind is cluttered, which is approximately 14 out of the 15 hours I'm awake, I make lists. To do lists for me, for my husband, grocery lists, lists of sewing projects, lists for future dates, menu lists, music and book lists, lists for the lists I've lost. When I write things down I feel better. So much better, even if I don't look at the list ever again. My datebook last year was even called Listography. It was a calendar full of topics to make lists for. Then I stumbled on this the other night: 50 Lists to Write to Lift Your Spirits. I liked it very much and decided I would try to blog every one of these on my blog. So here goes.

1. People who have influenced or inspired you.

My mother and father
The Love of my life, Erich
My great ones, Zoe and Ezra
My sister, Sara
My 11th grade English teacher, Mr. Wood
Bob Dylan
My old girls
My new girls
Any one who does good in this world.

EZRA!!

2011-02-26T19:30:00.001-08:00

Happy Days, Ezra Love.

2011-02-24T13:23:00.000-08:00

You are an incredible light, my sonshine, my sweetness, a blessing to us all. I love you forever, Ezra. Happy Birthday to you, Brother Bear. ♥

New Line of Stuff!

2011-02-17T08:25:00.000-08:00

Coasters!

the things i do for my kids

2011-02-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

From time to time Zoe gets bursts of inspiration in the kitchen. She chooses from a wide range of cross cultural ingredients and her most recent recipe did not let me down. Her latest culinary delight included Apple Jacks, chocolate chips, sugar, water, and diced tomatoes in their juice. She requested that we simmer it on the stove for a bit and then serve it in little bowls for us to all sample. I could hardly wait.

mama's new project

2011-01-31T20:13:00.000-08:00

Meet the other blog: The Happy Phamily Project. Hoping this one will grow wings.

ezra draws a face!

2011-01-31T10:57:00.000-08:00

This morning Ezra decides to draw on the MagnaDoodle. Normally his art is filled with wonderful, glorious scribbles. Today, however, on his own, he drew his first complete face! He says, "I drew my face with growed hair!". I have been greatly anticipating these drawings, almost as much as his first laugh. To date, he has drawn a sun and face with guidance, three vaginas (his first unguided drawing, will have to post those another time), and now his face! Mama is thrilled. :)

I adore the fact that he drew nostrils. And, yes, mama needs to clean up remnants of breakfast below his lips.

james hance

2011-01-23T09:37:00.000-08:00

He's my new favorite artist. I love love love his work. Look:

Erich got this and the print below for Christmas.


And I got him this one for his berfday.


And this is the print I want next.

See him here: James Hance!

i love me some potatoes.

2011-01-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

If only I had some salsa fixings.

Arctic Friends, by me.

2011-01-22T21:54:00.001-08:00

etsy find of the day

2011-01-21T07:18:00.000-08:00

rainbow love

taaaaaaaaaaaaaaall

2011-01-20T13:53:00.000-08:00

trees. I thought when I moved to California a decade ago that all the streets would be lined with these:

candies

2011-01-19T18:19:00.000-08:00

Test of Endurance

Before:

After:

HEEHEE!

bonnie "prince" billy

2011-01-14T18:20:00.001-08:00

hey, good looking

2011-01-14T13:04:00.000-08:00

wish i had this cooking!

Wonderful, wonderful blog Craft:, from the people who created Make:, offered up this tasty looking recipe today. I must try it!

yes, please

2011-01-12T18:56:00.000-08:00

http://lunchbots.com/product.html

beauty in the trees

2011-01-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

my ez today

2011-01-06T16:54:00.000-08:00

Nothing makes me happier than experiencing the antics of my children. And the antics of Ezra are particularly amusing. This morning, while driving Zoe to school, I hear Ezra singing the same words over and over again for several miles. The words he was singing? "Mama has periods. Mama has periods. Mama has periods." Oh joyous boy. Later he got into my batting, ripping armholes through it and all.

"Ooooooooh. I'm a ghost, Mama!".


Later, chocolate facials.

And shirtless dancing in the kitchen.

breakfasts

2011-01-05T10:58:00.000-08:00

Today's Daily Health Challenge is sharing your favorite healthy breakfast. I can't go without breakfast, but honestly, my choices need some work. It's not that I eat fatty, sugary junk, but what I do choose fills me rather than nourishes me. On most mornings I eat a bowl (a big bowl) and half of a cereal that by the packaging looks healthy, but when you read those mysterious ingredients, doesn't sound so good anymore. I top it off with a big glass of ice water. And that does it. Needs some work. I'm veggie and I really dislike eggs. So squeezing in protein is difficult. Fruit is great, but expensive. This morning I worked in some granola, which had dried berries in it. I have to give myself some credit for at least eating breakfast. I realize the importance of that meal, setting the standard for your metabolism throughout the day. Work in progress.

At least most of my breakfasts look like this (minus that fruit in that thar background):

And not like this (pretty as it may be).

the daily challenge

2011-01-03T14:50:00.000-08:00

So a friend sent an invite to this Daily Health Challenge and I thought I'd give it a try. You are presented daily with different activities in hopes of creating a healthier you. Today's challenge is to share five things on your bucket list. Here they are:

1.) Climb another rock. Maybe three, maybe three hundred.

2.) Learn Capoeira.

3.) Join a Roller Derby team.

4.) Get my butt to Ireland, New Zealand, India, Fiji, and/or Alaska.

5.) Get into a daily practice of Yoga.

tear

2010-12-09T14:29:00.000-08:00

and those

2010-11-25T00:37:00.001-08:00

were some of my new favorites.

Mariee Sioux - Wizard Flurry Home

2010-11-25T00:36:00.002-08:00

Mariee Sioux-Wild Eyes

2010-11-25T00:36:00.001-08:00

Alela Diane "White As Diamonds" from the album "To Be Still" Out Now

2010-11-25T00:36:00.000-08:00

Alela Diane - The Pirate's Gospel

2010-11-25T00:35:00.000-08:00

frustrated and worrying

2010-10-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

Not the easiest of times right now. Strange day, cold, gloomy weather. The backyard won't dry out. Worrying about my health. Unwarranted fears of death. Money. People who get carried away with wrong ideas and then get dramatic about it. Organization. Expensive things working properly. School. The future. My children's future. Just icky. I wish the sun would come back out and warm this place up again.

rocky mountain love

2010-10-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

We've been fortunate (the kids and I) to spend a good majority of the last two months with my family in Colorado. Loving the peacefulness of it all. We had the honor of witnessing nature at its finest the other day while wandering into the Rockies. The native elk were in the heat of their annual rut. We saw two harems and each buck warded off the youngbloods. Incredible.

my daughter, the palentologist

2010-08-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

Erich and Zoe came home with a pretty rad dollar store find after their date night the other evening. It was an egg with a an itty bitty dinosaur skeleton that you could dig out. Zoe was thrilled! She is intrigued by anything dinosaur and anything in the natural world that is old. Just like Mama. :)

Somehow I managed to get one of those microscopic arms down the sink and into our garbage disposal. Lucky for me the garbage disposal had not been used that morning. This is what a good Mommy does:

Ew.

And now for the song that ran through our heads through the whole project:

bliss

2010-05-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

groovephest 2010 (first ever!)

2010-05-22T09:58:00.001-07:00

Nothing but smiles all weekend long.

first vending event for happy phamily! audrey, laurel, zoe, and me

some hard work

erich and ryan

cubensis set

delta nove and the percussion parade!

one highlight of the weekend, for sure.

mitchell and his dragon

birthday girl!

friends <3

erich and nathan

jade

mary

zoe's first sale! hand tattoos in the audience. guy wanted pawprint and gave her 4 bucks! she insisted on giving the money to me. aw.

jade, jaime, and zoe

papa erich and papa eric

the maykers

happy customer, with erich's sticker on his banjo case

the happy phamily

she's taken to decorating her face

2010-05-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

the kids' first cooking experiment

2010-04-19T20:58:00.000-07:00

So the other day Zoe and Ezra decided to mix up a few ingredients from the pantry and cook up a little something by themselves. They got pretty creative. Corn meal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, even strawberries. They mixed it all together and asked me to put it in the oven. It actually smelled pretty tasty. When it was time for the tasting we sat outside and dug in. Here were the results.

Into the oven

Ready to eat

Hmmmm, maybe not so good.

WHAT was that?!

Hahahaaha! Look!

I threw it up!

baking cookies

2010-02-21T22:52:00.001-08:00

some of the latest

2010-02-16T16:31:00.000-08:00

Reversible Patchwork Aprons $15

Camping Totes $25

CD/ Mail Organizers $25

Children's Patchy Pants $10-$25

Children's Patchy Skirts $15-$25

Children's Patchy Dresses/ Shirts $25-$40

Bandanna Pants $15

kids on tv!

2010-01-11T22:16:00.000-08:00

our first orange of the season!

2010-01-11T22:08:00.000-08:00

from our wee orange tree in our backyard!

happy phamily

2009-12-02T20:38:00.001-08:00

Here we go!

erich's 33rd!

2009-11-18T13:58:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to our divine friends the Bakers for hosting Erich's birthday! And also thanks to the Bucks and Tony and Amber for trekking out to San Diego for some zooin'. Good times!

jamming

peekaboo

puddin' time

2009-10-19T14:13:00.000-07:00

banana bread!

2009-10-07T09:23:00.001-07:00

the lake

2009-09-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

We love Lake Casitas. There's a lot I want to say about this place, but I have squirmy 19 month old on my lap so I'm going to have to do that another day.

Here's some photos of us and the lake over the last few years.

zoe's first photos

2009-09-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

So I handed the camera over to Zoe the other day and this girl is becoming quite the little photographer. Check out some of her shots around the house. :)

one more before bed.

2009-09-10T01:18:00.000-07:00

round i go to these blissful
spots in my mind. these vast
green dewey meadows spotting
fireflies - connecting
them like earthly
constellations for me
to gather
and breathe.
sometimes i really miss my bobby dylan
college, wandrin wooded poetry
days.

connecting to me haiku

2009-08-28T00:31:00.000-07:00

sleeping babes in bed
mama listens to music
and doesn't want sleep

my green rant

2009-07-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

Green is my favorite color, but I'm starting to want to call it something else. The term "green" is being thrown at every direction from large corporations hopping on the enviro-friendly bandwagon and it's driving me nuts. Don't get me wrong, I think it's splendid that people are beginning to make better choices in the way they consume and their desire to leave a smaller carbon footprint, but I think it's wrong that companies are misleading the average American by greenwashing.

Let me give you a few examples.

PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES

Is there really anything environmentally-friendly about disposable water bottles? Whether you're using less or not, get a reusable! Water bottle companies claim they are eco-savvy because their label uses less paper and the bottle uses less plastic. Hmmm, but I still end up having to throw it in the recycle bin? Remember people: REDUCE, REUSE, and then as your last resort RECYCLE.

CLOTHING

I was folding laundry this morning and Erich's got these two t-shirts from Target from a company calling themselves The Green Project. So I looked at the label a little closer and this is what I saw:

I was expecting to see "made from organic cotton" or at the very least transitional organic cotton http://greencotton.wordpress.com/2008/04/20/surging-demand-for-organic-cotton-easing-the-farmers-transition/. It says neither, just regular, old 100% cotton. It also says it's made in Bangladesh, so it's not locally supported either. So what exactly is it that makes The Green Project so green? Is it just another name to mislead so many consumers?

LOCALLY GROWN IN THE MEGA SUPERMARKETS

My community Vons is now touting locally grown produce. Sounds great, right?! Not when locally grown means "in the USA". In last week's Sunday Ventura Star there was an editorial written explaining the writer's recent experience at Vons. He is looking at the "locally grown cherries" and is trying to recall where in the Ventura area has he seen cherries grown. He can't think of any and asks to speak with a manager. The manager clarifies that "locally grown", at least in their store, means it could have been grown anywhere in California, or Texas, or anywhere in the United States! You can read about it here: http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/jul/12/its-loco-not-local/. Looks like if you want to keep it local, stick to your farmer's market.

It is examples like these, (and this list could go on and on, but I've got to get to the park with the kids!), that drive me nuts. More than that, I'm outraged. These companies have no business exploiting words like "natural" and "green" and even "locally grown" to maximize their profits. It is misleading and wrong. They are saturating the market with products that are disinegenious and people have got to start investigating where they put their money better.

Here is a piece Time magazine did on greenwashing:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1840562,00.html

Here is a website you can view and rate the worst offenders of greenwashing:

http://www.greenwashingindex.com/

biking babes!!

2009-07-15T23:32:00.000-07:00

Got some new editions to the phamily! Two bikes! Look at Zoe on a bike!! Her Uncle Kenny and Tiffany got her a bike for her fourth birthday. I can't get over how much older she's looking. She's on a bike for gersh sakes!!

And after the maiden voyage, a first ice cream cone! (soy, of course)

rasta breakfast!

2009-06-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

It's been 500 years since I posted!! Look! We, by chance, had a rasta breakfast!!

feltboard fun

2009-04-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

Our latest feltboard project...mix and match funny faces!! So I gave Zoe and Ezra a feltboard for Christmas last year. I did not want to spend the $30 or $40 on the little one they had at the teaching store so I got a large corkboard off freecycle and hotglued felt onto the board. We cut out all sorts of fun, thematic stuff out of felt. Today's project was a face. :)

kcet's playing for change

2009-04-12T23:42:00.000-07:00

Easter Dance Party!

2009-04-12T16:11:00.000-07:00

it works!!

2009-04-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to all!! So we've been seeing a lot on the intertron about silk-dyed Easter eggs this year (http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/03/silk-dyed-eggs.html). Erich decided to try it. We went around to thrift stores yesterday looking for inexpensive silk ties and only found used underwear. It actually worked really well! Here are the results.

another boredom buster!

2009-04-10T14:59:00.001-07:00

We've been big on collages lately, so we got creative about it and furnished a whole house with magazine pictures. This was sooo much fun! We just drew the outline of a house on a large piece of paper (we took ours from the easel) and divided up the rooms we wanted.

Yeah, yeah. Ez (with bits of tofu on his face) wasn't having too much fun with this one.

getting creative with the kids

2009-04-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

So in an effort to keep boredom at bay I am going to try to post some of the better ideas we've had for playtime at home on the blog. As a stay-at-home mother of two young ones of very differing ages, it becomes quite difficult at times to keep them both entertained and intellectually stimulated. It's nice to have some fresh ideas, so it is my hope that other moms can reference the blog for a little inspiration themselves, which I have needed myself on many occasions!!

Our first post of "stay-at-home fun" is a maze that Zoe and I built for her cars and animals out of wooden blocks. Something different besides building the typical house or school. :)

Hummingbird Baby!

2009-03-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

Holly saw this little feller today. I took the pic with Momma Bird buzzing my head.

She knows I mean well.

-Erich

and on the note of rediscovering

2009-03-27T23:55:00.001-07:00

i've stumbled across another stack of old poems. these troves i once added to daily.

song for a dying volcano

how often have you fuzzled your mind
with the possibilities of impermanence?
that not even mountains last forever?
impermanence allows you to run naked in
posy fields hopping kool-aid ventricles and wearing
out a new lover.
it's this idea of letting go,
and knowing it, and being comfortable with that,
that makes this life so comfortable.

i've been given gifts, cartons of cigarettes, dying
flowers, rotting books, superhuman rings, several wretched g-
strings, they all pass, just like the (g)river.
"all things must pass"

and You live. LIVE

April 17, 2003

the most difficult job in the world

2009-03-27T23:42:00.001-07:00

is parenting. No doubt about it. Everything you hear is true. Child-rearing is challenging work. And the more you have, the more difficult it becomes. When we only had Zoe I never felt as guilty as I do now. "Guilty" is a strange word to use with mothering, but I feel it sometimes. Questioning if I'm doing enough to help her grow into the amazing being she is. And now Ezra as well. When it was just Zoe I could focus completely on her needs. With two I feel, sometimes, like I'm letting one down while I'm giving attention to the other. I realize that I'm just modeling the real world, that it's not always about you, but it's just so incredibly difficult to find that balance between giving two children the attention they need to thrive. That's what I want for my children, to thrive. Mothers sacrifice a lot of themselves when their children are young. I feel as though my entire existence is based around my children. And I'm not concerned about that...at times I feel a little under the water...but it is all so temporary. I could never pass up these moments...Ezra's first kisses...big, open mouthed fish puckers in the mornings, Zoe telling me she'll love me forever and ever even when I have wrinkles, poopy diapers, fits of rage over losing a game, noticing fat rolypolies, baby bouncing dances...it goes on and on the beauty of children. I will forever recognize and respect a good parent.

momdumb

2009-03-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

Okay. Something happens when you become a mother. I'm going to lay it all out and admit it and be confident that all order in my brain will be restored when my children grow older. When you become a mother I believe that you become increasingly more forgetful about anything not pertaining to your brood. At least this is what has happened with me. Here is a perfect example. Yesterday I thought I had left my phone in my car. I was busy getting Ez into the mei tai on my back and keeping an eye on ZoZo. I made it halfway to the car and realized it was in my back pocket. Now mind you, I don't wear ginormous, baggy pants or anything. I even felt my pockets...well, most of them...before heading out to the car. This kind of stuff happens to me DAILY. I can't think of all the lovely little words I used to use to describe things anymore either. My vernacular is depleting to words like, "milkies" and "5 more minutes" and "no you cannot have a 'nack right now". I truly believe this is all temporary while my days are blissfully filled with caring for my children full-time. I just really feel like I need to take some floss to my brain to reveal some of that old smarts I used to have...once upon a time.

ezra is one!

2009-03-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

our beautiful, old soul babe is already a year.

magic is everywhere

2009-03-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

you just have to slow down.

In our backyard this morning we found the largest roly poly ever (although he was dead), a baby stick bug, and a hummingbird nest complete with the mama! We also decided to build a little home for our garden fairies. We structured it around a lot of tiny fallen leaves that looked mysteriouisly enough like hundreds of pink and white fairy wings.

everyday is dress-up day

2009-02-11T19:26:00.000-08:00

ARRRR

Same day, Ezra has a shirt change due to a messy breastfed baby poo.

dr. zoe, medicine woman (for the animals)

2009-02-11T12:05:00.001-08:00

And what does Brother Ez think?

ezra's turning one!

2009-02-08T11:20:00.000-08:00

fairies live at ellwood

2009-01-31T22:50:00.001-08:00

Now that everyone is on facebook the blog's taken a backseat it seems. That and busy times!

Today the family had one of those magical days where you stumble into a place at just the right time and everything about it is so perfect. We wandered into Ellwood, an open space in Goleta, thinking we'd find migrating Monarchs. We found not a single butterfly, but it didn't matter to me one bit. This place was incredible. Everything about it delighted every single one of my senses.

latest ezzy pics

2009-01-15T22:26:00.000-08:00

Our sweet easy ez is nearing a year. He is the most magnificent boy I have ever known. The energy from this little man is so intense and good. I love him most dearly.

knitting as graffiti

2009-01-01T19:35:00.000-08:00

This is fantastic!

http://deputy-dog.com/2008/11/urban-knitting-worlds-most-inoffensive.html

ezzy's first christmas! (and zozo's fourth!)

2008-12-26T09:26:00.000-08:00

zoe's first ballet recital

2008-12-13T09:59:00.000-08:00

And here is the stick bug Zoe found outside our front door the other day.

ezzy's first christmas tree!

2008-12-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

i can haz cristmahs?

2008-12-06T15:05:00.000-08:00

we're famous!

2008-11-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

I am so excited because ZoZo and I made the pages of the best parenting magazine ever! We had this picture at my wedding published in this month's issue!!

happy halloween!

2008-11-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

zoe lena ballerina

2008-10-30T19:52:00.001-07:00

It doesn't get much cuter than a 3-year-old ballerina.

our papa, the champion!

2008-10-29T12:36:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Erich competed in his second Coyote Classic. We spent the weekend camping with all sorts of splendid critters and comets. The outcome of the trip was a success...Erich won first place in his division! His first disc golf trophy for the mantel! He also designed the artwork for the tournament. We are so proud!!

Camping+Kids=Dirty!

Yummy...dirt.

The proud family

happy phamily

the mama band

in the valley with some dolls

happy

one of the best

nature boy

growing up girl

Yesterday Zoe had her first ever Girl Scout meeting. It is unbelievable to me that I now have daughter old enough to be a Brownie and I am so excited for her, remembering that some of my fondest memories happened when I was a Girl Scout. Hoping the same happiness for her. ♥

the circle

In the car today, Ezra says to me matter-of-factly, "Mama, when me and Zoe get older we will die.". It is a truth for all of us and made me think of this video I saw recently that is so beautiful I almost cried.

http://vimeo.com/29987934

i would thrive here

flight

zoe's first day of first grade!

us

my girl

slow down

life changing

california's where i've been

worried woman

childhood photos

happy phamily

listing

human connection

love keeps growing

little sister

color my world

Hippy Easter!!

i'm out of the closet

happy

Lists

EZRA!!

Happy Days, Ezra Love.

New Line of Stuff!

the things i do for my kids

mama's new project

ezra draws a face!

james hance

i love me some potatoes.

Arctic Friends, by me.

etsy find of the day

taaaaaaaaaaaaaaall

candies

bonnie "prince" billy

hey, good looking

yes, please

beauty in the trees

my ez today

breakfasts

the daily challenge

*tear*

and those

Mariee Sioux - Wizard Flurry Home

Mariee Sioux-Wild Eyes

Alela Diane "White As Diamonds" from the album "To Be Still" Out Now

Alela Diane - The Pirate's Gospel

frustrated and worrying

rocky mountain love

my daughter, the palentologist

bliss

groovephest 2010 (first ever!)

she's taken to decorating her face

the kids' first cooking experiment

baking cookies

some of the latest

kids on tv!

our first orange of the season!

happy phamily

erich's 33rd!

puddin' time

banana bread!

the lake

zoe's first photos

one more before bed.

connecting to me haiku

my green rant

biking babes!!

rasta breakfast!

feltboard fun

kcet's playing for change

tear